


Helpless

by believesinponds



Series: Have You Read This? [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Jack Zimmermann's Overdose, M/M, and jack and kent deciding to get married, but like the slightly hopeful aftermath, it's mostly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 15:46:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13238955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/believesinponds/pseuds/believesinponds
Summary: After Jack overdoses, Kent comes along to the hospital with Alicia and Bob. When the doctor recommends a rehab facility that only allows immediate family to visit, Kent and Jack find a way to make it work.[Prequel toHave You Read This?, but can be read as standalone!]





	Helpless

**Author's Note:**

> I just really needed some happy!Kent and while this isn't exactly a happy situation, it's definitely got as much fluff as I could possibly manage along with a hearty dose of Kent-and-Jack-in-love.
> 
> CW: Kent experiences a brief panic attack when he sees Jack in the hospital bed.

**June 26, 2009** ( **Toronto, Ontario)**

Kent leapt to his feet as soon as Bob and Alicia walked through the door. Alicia pulled him into a tight hug while Bob spoke with someone at the nurse’s station.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize—I didn’t think that—”

“Sweetheart, it’s not your fault,” Alicia whispered, smoothing his hair back.

“But he—fuck, oh god. He was just lying there and I knew he was drinking too much but I didn’t stop him. I should have stopped him.”

A larger hand settled on his shoulder and Bob spoke from behind him. “They said we can go in and see him.”

He held onto Alicia as they made their way down the hall and into a private room, the nurse saying something about him being asleep.

Kent wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but the moment he saw Jack’s pale face and closed eyes he felt his chest closing in. Faintly he heard Alicia’s sob and Bob’s quiet, “Oh, Jack,” but it was drowned out by a loud rushing sound, like wind inside his ears. He slid down to the floor on instinct and clenched his hat in his fist. (When had he taken that off his head?)

Someone touched his shoulder and told him to lean his head against his knees and breathe. A moment later a brown paper bag was shoved in front of his face and he breathed into it as slowly as he could.

“That’s right, honey, just keep breathing.” The voice was unfamiliar—a nurse, maybe?—but Kent followed its instructions until his breaths were regular again. He could hear the Zimmermanns talking to a doctor and he steeled himself before looking at Jack’s bed again.

Alicia was clutching one of Jack’s hands and Bob was nodding at whatever the doctor had said. One of the nurses helped him up off the floor and into one of the comfier-looking chairs. There was a juice box and a package of crackers on the little table next to him and she pointed at them with a clear “you-better-eat-these” look on her face.

Kent took a sip from the juice and focused on unwrapping the crackers. When the doctor left, Alicia took the seat by the bed and Bob slid into the chair next to him.

“He’s gonna be okay,” Bob said.

Kent swallowed a bite of cracker and nodded. He didn’t really have any words right now.

“You should get some sleep, son.”

Kent shot him a withering look and Bob nodded grimly.

“At least try rest until he wakes up, honey,” Alicia said, reaching back to touch his knee.

Kent deflated. “Promise you’ll wake me up?” He made eye contact with each of them, pleading.

“Of course. The minute he wakes up.”

It was 1:47 am and Kent was fucking exhausted. It only took him two minutes to fall asleep.

~

Kent woke to voices murmuring. It was a moment of sleepy fog-brain before he remembered where he was and what was going on. He sat up quickly. The doctor was standing by Jack’s bed looking serious. Bob and Alicia were both standing with their backs to Kent, but he could see Jack’s face and his eyes were open and alert. He let out a relieved sigh.

“The facility should be opening any minute now,” the doctor was saying. “If you think it would help you to call the director—”

“Yes. Let’s call now.” Alicia leaned down and kissed Jack’s forehead. “We’ll get this figured out, sweetheart. You just rest.”

The Zimmermanns followed the doctor out the door and Kent approached the side of Jack’s bed. Jack smiled at him and scooted over, patting the small space left for Kent to join him.

Kent immediately climbed in.

“Maman said you found me,” Jack whispered.

“Yeah.” Kent wrapped an arm around his waist and buried his face in his neck. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Okay.” Jack clutched onto Kent’s arm. “Okay.”

They stayed that way for several minutes, Kent adjusting his position so his head was against Jack’s chest. He let his heartbeat reassure him that everything was going to be fine.

“The doctor suggested rehab,” Jack said, sighing. His fingers fiddled with his blanket. “That way I won’t be tempted to...make this mistake again.”

“Fuck, Zimms.” Kent lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. “That’s gonna...shit, that’s gonna really fuck with preseason.”

Jack stared hard at his hands and Kent felt his stomach drop with foreboding.

“No, I...it’s a six-month program.”

Kent couldn’t find his voice.

“Maman and...my parents think it’s a good idea.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

He grabbed Jack’s hand and squeezed it tight, staring at the way his fingers turned pink and white with the force. “I—” His voice was almost too quiet. “I don’t think I can do this without you, Zimms.”

“Don’t be stupid, Kenny.” Jack stared him down, his eyebrows drawing together. “You’re going first, you’re gonna be in Las Vegas, and you’re gonna be fucking amazing.”

“Jack.”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door—a doctor followed by Bob and Alicia.

“We can get you in this afternoon,” the doctor said.

Kent glanced at the clock—it was 5 am.

“Kenny, honey,” Alicia touched his shoulder. “You need to get some rest before tonight.”

“I am. See?” He laid back on the pillow, Jack’s hand tightening around his. “Rest.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Zimmermann needs rest, too. It’s long past visiting hours.”

Kent’s eyes flicked to Jack and then Bob, pleading.

“He’s with us, Dr. Grant.”

The doctor pursed her lips but nodded. “You’ll want to say your goodbyes, I suppose. It’s going to be a long six months for you boys.”

That didn’t sound good.

“What you mean, Dr. Grant?” Jack asked.

“The facility only allows family to visit.”

“Kent is family,” Alicia said, squeezing his shoulder.

“I’m afraid they only approve immediate family members. Parents, children, siblings, and spouses.”

Kent could feel his throat tightening and his eyes were suddenly hot. He clenched his jaw and did his best to look at the ceiling.

“No,” Jack said.

Everyone looked at him.

“What do you mean, son?”

“I’m not going somewhere if I can’t see Kenny.”

Kent licked his lips. “Jack, if rehab is going to—”

“There are other rehab facilities.”

“Son, this one is the best fit. It’s in Quebec, it’s tailored to your needs, all the employees sign NDAs—”

<<Papa, I’m not going to do it if I can’t see him. I need to be able to see Kenny.>> Jack said. Kent assumed the switch to his native tongue was more out of frustration than anything else.

<<Jack, son, this is important.>> Bob stared him down. <<If you want to have a career in hockey you need to do this, to show that you’re recovering.>>

<<Then find somewhere else!>>

<<We don’t want you on the other end of the country, Jack!>>

<<Boys,>> Alicia said sharply. <<I think there’s another solution.>>

“Oh.” Jack turned to Kent, his eyes pleading. “We could get married.”

“Jack, do you really think that’s a good reason to—”

“I don’t care. It’s the only way I’ll go.” He was glaring his father down, his grip on Kent’s hand impossibly tight. “You can’t force me to go.”

“Nobody is trying to force—” Alicia began, but Jack cut her off.

“I’m sure the hospital has an officiant. We can go get the license as soon as the courthouse opens.” He looked down at their intertwined hands and said, “If Kenny can’t visit then I’m not going.”

“Zimms,” Kent turned his body so he could look Jack in the eye. “You have to go.”

Jack’s eyes hardened. “ _Don’t_ take their side, Kenny.”

“Hey.” Kent touched Jack’s face with his free hand and leaned their foreheads together. “I’m not, okay? I’m...let’s get married.”

The doctor cleared her throat. “I just need to check in on a few things and then you can continue discussing your...situation. If that’s okay?”

Kent kissed him quickly and then pulled away.

“Um, do you need me to—?” he asked, gesturing toward one of the chairs.

Jack held his hand to his chest. “Stay.” He glanced up at the doctor. “Please?”

She nodded.

“We’ll go see what we can do,” Bob said, sharing a look with Alicia.

Alicia stood from the chair next to Jack’s bed and pressed a kiss to Jack’s head and then Kent’s. “We’ll be just outside. Call me if you need anything.”

As they left the doctor looked at Jack’s eyes, took his pulse, and then asked him a few questions about how his stomach and throat were feeling. Kent watched in silence, his thoughts too jumbled to resemble anything coherent. When she was done she left the room, turning the lights out on Jack’s request, and they were alone once again. Kent stretched his arm across Jack’s chest and laid his head on Jack’s shoulder.

“You sure about this, Zimms?” he whispered.

Jack reached up and gently ran a hand through Kent’s hair. “Only if you are, Kenny.”

He nuzzled Jack’s neck and kissed the soft skin of his jaw. “Is it selfish that I don’t want to go without seeing you for half a year?”

“Not if I feel the same way.” Jack squeezed his eyes shut and leaned his head against Kent’s. His fingers dig into Kent’s arm. “God. I fucked everything up.”

“No you didn’t. You’re gonna go to rehab, spend some time volunteering or something, and then you’ll go first-round next year for sure.”

A few tears leaked out of the corners of Jack’s eyes—Kent ignored them. Instead he pushed himself up to hover over Jack and pressed a hand to the side of his face. “You can do this, babe. I know it. I know you can.”

Jack shrugged, but he looked like he wanted to smile. “Thanks, Kenny.”

Kent kissed him hard. “Love you, Zimms.”

He closed his eyes again. “Love you too, Parse.”


End file.
